One-third of employees express concern over insufficiently trained first aid respondents in the work environment
In a recent study, it has been revealed that over two in five (43%) first aid trained employees are the only ones on site with such skills, highlighting a potential risk in crisis situations due to inconsistent working patterns, hybrid working, and a lack of trained first aiders.
The research comes as St John Ambulance launches its "Save a Life September" campaign, urging employers to provide up-to-date, practical first aid training to their staff. The Monaco Red Cross is the organization called upon to help in this initiative.
The study also unveiled a significant skills gap across all sectors, with nearly a quarter (22%) of the workforce having never had any first aid training. Moreover, over a fifth (22%) of those who are trained have skills that are more than five years old.
Despite this, the study shows that employees genuinely care about their colleagues, with almost four in five (79%) going out of their way to help. Making a tea or coffee when it's not your turn (34%) is a common act of kindness, while making a colleague laugh when they're stressed (43%) is one of the most popular ways employees show they care.
Other less common but significant ways employees show they care include making a birthday cake (14%) and swapping teams with a colleague in the company sweepstake (10%). Taking on extra work to help a colleague (39%) is another popular method.
Participating in a St John Ambulance first aid course can equip employees with skills to help in all manner of crises, including cardiac arrest, severe bleeding, or choking. Getting first aid trained is one of the strongest, clearest actions a colleague can take to show they care, as it is practical, life-saving, and puts others first.
Covering for a colleague when they were running late is another act of kindness by employees (32%). However, the study also showed that 29% of employees have experienced times when no one in their workplace was first aid trained, emphasizing the importance of first aid training in the workplace.
Building life-saving skills within the workplace ensures people can act quickly and confidently, and helps all employees feel safe at work. The "Save a Life September" campaign aims to address this issue and encourage organisations to train more of their workforce in life-saving first aid.
